pennmom36's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:358,445
- Reviews Submitted:4730
- First Review:December 10, 2012
- Most Recent Review:August 3, 2025
- Featured reviews1
Status:
Help the Romans and the Britons defeat the Filth in this exciting strategy adventure!
Overall rating
5
/
5
350 of 368 found this review helpful
THIS IS A TIME MANAGEMENT WORK OF ART, A MASTERPIECE..yes, it's that kind of game!
PostedOctober 23, 2018
pennmom36
fromI will never be satisfied with a normal Time Managment game after playing Roman Adventure!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
You know you have an exceptional game on your hands when you are so engrossed in the gameplay that the sudden and abrupt demo ending takes you by surprise and has you scrambling to click the "buy now" icon.
Roman Adventure is by the same developer who created some incredible Time Management game series in the past, Adelantado, and Roads of Rome. It has the same basic concept as Roads of Rome and Adelantado, but the graphics are some of the best I've ever seen in a TM game and has some of the most creative features ever offered. Whiterra deserves an award, this is a Time Management work of Art, a Masterpiece... Yes, Roman Adventure is that kind of game!
The concept, although not a new one, is different than most Time Management games because the levels are continuations of the previous levels. As you progress, you will come across Save Altars which allows you to save your progress. If you don't complete the tasks within the allotted time frame, (you can opt to play in a Relaxed Mode as well as Easy, Normal and Hard modes) you will lose! You can replay the level in its entirety or return to your Save Point so you really want to save your progress, especially when the levels become harder to master. Note: you can only use the Save progress once per level. To be honest, I love the concept of continuing and progressing, but I'd really love to be able to access every level, in other words, be able to collect resources from the first level if you're on the third level, that would be an awesome concept!
You will need to construct various buildings once you have collected the necessary resources, and you get to place the buildings where you want. This is a vital component because the placement often correlates to opening up new territory. There are the normal TM buildings and tasks such as Sawmills, Hen House Farms, Workers Houses, Bridges to repair, Weeds to remove, Manna to collect, Hidden Caches to find etc. but you won't be doing the normal "click all resources that are blocking your path" tasks.
Guard Towers will unlock territories but may require completing various tasks first. Forts also unlock territories but they require a worker at all times. There are several Altars available such as Altar of Earth which contain useful artifact items, Altar of Water gives you water obviously, Altar of Fog will clear the fog and open new territories but they require a lot of resources. Worker's Houses are required in order to get new workers. Each House has a single worker, keep in mind that you must have a minimum of 4 workers or you won't be able to build other buildings.
There are a lot of Strategies required to master this game, and eventually, you will need to make the right choices at the right time, so if you want a relaxing stress-free game you'll have to play in the Relaxed Mode, but even then I'm sure this game won't be a cake walk because you'll still need to place building correctly and go the correct ways, but I haven't tried playing this game in the Relaxed or Easy mode yet. I probably should have so that I could assess just how easy or relaxing the game would be for newbies or casual players.
Don't pass this game up, it may surprise you, it's an extremely addicting game! Now I'm off to continue fighting those Roots of pure evil!
I recommend this game!
A nonogram puzzle tour of Rio de Janeiro!
Overall rating
4
/
5
26 of 30 found this review helpful
THE COLORS TEND TO BE TOO SIMILAR BUT OTHER THAN THAT IT'S ANOTHER GREAT MOSAIC
PostedOctober 22, 2018
pennmom36
fromVery creative Mosaic with beautiful colors!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Patricia's Quest for Sun
(24)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I'm still bothered by all those black dots, I solved that issue a little by switching to the black background, but that caused me to have issues with some of the colors on some of the levels. There were a few levels that had such similar colors it became really difficult to tell where one color left off, but other than that, Jet Dogs certainly hit the mark again to bring us another fantastic Travel Mosaic.
There are now 5 Tile options to choose from, my favorite Bubble look, a Square with rounded corners, a Princess Cut Diamond shape, and a multi-faceted tile and a lunar-style. You can play in an Easy mode which crosses off cells for you, a Normal mode where you have to cross off cells that aren't available, or Difficult mode which only crosses off squares when the entire row and column has been completed.
As you fill in tiles, you will earn coins, lives or Power-up recharges. Power-ups can be upgraded twice from the initial base, and you can also buy various Souvenirs in the Shop. There are Power-ups such as a Hammer, Sun, Lightning and even a Bomb, which start out with very little area coverage and increases with each upgrade. There are 7 Achievement Trophies to earn as well.
Each of the Locations has 6 main levels, 1 bonus level, and 1 additional puzzle (jigsaw variations) You must earn at least 2 Stars on each main level to open the bonus level, and you must earn a minimum of 2 stars on the Bonus Level to open the additional puzzle. You also have to earn at least 1 Star in each of the main levels to unlock the next location. I believe the first Travel Mosaics game was this way, but the second one had bumped the star requirements up, so at least it's easier to obtain this way.
Each level starts with 2 Hearts or lives, and as you fill in cells correctly you will earn more Heart Lives. There is a Book icon on the bottom left that gives a brief description of each location, which will come in handy if you make too many mistakes because you will be asked some questions about the locations as a chance to earn another chance to play.
TRAVEL MOSAICS SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Travel Mosaics 1: A Paris Tour (February 19-2018) 3.5
2-Travel Mosaics 2: Roman Holiday (May 13-2018) 3.4
3-Travel Mosaics 3: Tokyo Animated (August 21-2018) 4.6
4-Travel Mosaics 4: Adventures in Rio (October 22-2018) n/a
2-Travel Mosaics 2: Roman Holiday (May 13-2018) 3.4
3-Travel Mosaics 3: Tokyo Animated (August 21-2018) 4.6
4-Travel Mosaics 4: Adventures in Rio (October 22-2018) n/a
by: JetDogs Studios
I recommend this game!
Can you unite the witches and hunters to defeat an unimaginable foe?
Overall rating
3
/
5
55 of 62 found this review helpful
I MAY HAVE JUDGED THE CE VERSION TOO HARSHLY
PostedOctober 21, 2018
pennmom36
fromIt's not as bad as I originally thought!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
After playing the demo of the Collector's Edition version of Secret Enemy I was left with the impression that this was a horrible game. The storyline was lame and uninteresting, the characters were unappealing and there was no emotional connection between the player and the characters. I was bored by the time the demo ended and I had no desire to play further. I bought the game and decided why not? I had finished my other games and had nothing better to do today. What I discovered was the EleFun had dropped the ball on the demo, they should have made the demo more appealing because they didn't, I'm sure a lot of gamers passed this game up, just like I did. It gets better and I was too harsh with my assessment of the game based upon the poorly developed demo.
Here are a few things I liked and disliked with the game as a whole. I liked that EleFun has been listening to our complaints about the constant "loading" between scenes, zoom zones etc. They have significantly reduced the lag times, an annoying little feature that takes you out of the moment, and it becomes irritating after a while, but those moments of loading were barely noticeable this time! I also liked the fact that Jack and Bertha the ferret friend were mia. This series was in my top 5 favorites when they were centered around Lynne & Edward. EleFun made a huge mistake when they abandoned the original plot and characters. We basically grew up with Lynne, felt her pain of losing her entire family, we feared for her from the relentless evil witch Elizabeth, we fell in love with Edward, our hearts were broken when he betrayed her, we were elated when they finally overcame their obstacles and wed. Then we woke up one morning to an entirely different family moving in, we went from playing the role of loveable Lynne to rough and ready Jack and his weasel friend, who wouldn't be disappointed?
A few things I didn't like were the whitewashed blueish palette, all of their games are designed this way which makes their series all look the same, which game series am I playing? I also didn't like how the Collectible CE Tarot Cards and Morphing Objects are so easily spotted, no challenge whatsoever. There is no option to keep the cursor from changing to a finger in the custom mode either. Seems like a simple fix to add this option to make spotting collectibles a little less easy? Another annoying feature in the CE version is when you click on a wallpaper, a pop-up appears to ask if you want to set as your wallpaper, then another pop-up to ask if you want to save it to documents. As soon as you click yes, the game minimizes to the taskbar and the documents folder on your computer appears. This happens with each and every wallpaper you select, I save all wallpapers from every game I finish and this is the only dev that can't do this procedure seamlessly! My last complaint, I hated the constant "Recipe" mini-games, they are boring, they are failproof, you can't make a mistake, therefore, it's an unnecessary addition and a waste of time.
The bottom line is, this game actually has a decent storyline, it's a little on the short side, but I was okay with it. I don't think EleFun should abandon this series, on the contrary, I think they should revamp it, I think they need to return to their roots, they need to return to Lynne and Edward...perhaps a little bundle of joy arrives and shakes thing up a bit with some baby which-woes lol? Here's a recap of my review to help you decide which version, if either, is right for you:
Gadgets and potions, we gather without notion. Wing of a Bat, a feather, an eye, as we wait for the nights' moon to arise. Throw into thy cauldron with care and ease, for soon it will boil and bring you to your knees. Bellows the air to ignite logs afire, the coven must rise from the ash and the mire. Witches' unite to join their brethren, the Hunters still choose to send us to Heaven. Our common enemy will bring much calamity, the way it is now is pure insanity. Monsters and demons no longer they hide, but what will next happen if no one survives?
The Grimoires help you to learn 4 different Spells, 2 of which are in the demo, Fire and the ability to communicate with ghosts or set them free. Eventually, you learn Magic Spells and Hypnosis. You will concoct 8 different Potions after following a Potion Recipe in a different section of the Grimoires and after collecting Tarot Cards in each scene of the CE version, you can learn your fortune(s) by playing a matching related pair card game for each complete set of tarot cards collected.
The Hidden Object Scenes are worthless. Most of them are Keywords in Sentence finds where you must find a handful of very obvious objects. There is an alternate Matching Game where you flip over 2 cards at a time to find matches. The matching card game was just as simplistic but much more entertaining. There are a total of 22 HOP's throughout the main game and 7 within the CE Bonus Chapter, but none of them are offered as re-playable in this version.
The Mini-Games are super easy to solve and most are frustration-free because of it. There are 27 Mini-Games total, 8 of which are within the CE Bonus Chapter, but they aren't re-playable in the CE version. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games that are available during the demo portion:
1-Point a hose to extinguish the flames x4.
2-Find symbols on the page that match the symbol on the lens.
3-Rotate spheres until they are all disconnected from each other.
4-Drag lightning bolts until they cover all spirits.
5-Swap tiles to restore the image.
6-Find each symbol shown once they disappear from the grid.
7-Grab floating symbols and drag them to their matching slots.
8-Use directional arrows & resize buttons to align the shapes.
9-Repeat the sequence of buttons that light up.
10-Click to rotate path sections & guide sparks to their matching colored slots.
2-Find symbols on the page that match the symbol on the lens.
3-Rotate spheres until they are all disconnected from each other.
4-Drag lightning bolts until they cover all spirits.
5-Swap tiles to restore the image.
6-Find each symbol shown once they disappear from the grid.
7-Grab floating symbols and drag them to their matching slots.
8-Use directional arrows & resize buttons to align the shapes.
9-Repeat the sequence of buttons that light up.
10-Click to rotate path sections & guide sparks to their matching colored slots.
The Collector's Edition version has 9 Wallpapers, 11 Concept Art pictures, 3 Screensavers, 24 Music Soundtracks, 12 Achievements to earn, 31 Morphing Objects, 31 Collectible Tarot Cards, 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a built-in Strategy Guide.
WITCHES' LEGACY SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-The Charleston Curse (February 16-2012) 4.1 (Lynn original)
2-Lair of the Witch Queen (July 26-2013) 4.1 (Lynn original)
3-Hunter and the Hunted (February 7-2014) 4.2 (Lynn original)
4-The Ties That Bind (September 14-2014) 4.0 (Lynn original)
5-Slumbering Darkness (March 27-2015) 4.1 (Lynn original)
6-The Dark Throne (July 31-2015) 4.5 (Lynn original)
7-Awakening Darkness (January 22-2016) 4.2 (Lynn original)
8-Dark Days To Come (August 28-2016) 3.9 (Jack spinoff)
9-The City That Isn't There (February 5-2017) 3.9 (Jack spinoff)
10-Covered By The Night (August 11-2017) 3.4 (Jack spinoff)
11-Rise of the Ancient (December 24-2017) 3.8 (Jack spinoff)
12-Secret Enemy (October 21-2018) n/a (Ancient One spinoff)
2-Lair of the Witch Queen (July 26-2013) 4.1 (Lynn original)
3-Hunter and the Hunted (February 7-2014) 4.2 (Lynn original)
4-The Ties That Bind (September 14-2014) 4.0 (Lynn original)
5-Slumbering Darkness (March 27-2015) 4.1 (Lynn original)
6-The Dark Throne (July 31-2015) 4.5 (Lynn original)
7-Awakening Darkness (January 22-2016) 4.2 (Lynn original)
8-Dark Days To Come (August 28-2016) 3.9 (Jack spinoff)
9-The City That Isn't There (February 5-2017) 3.9 (Jack spinoff)
10-Covered By The Night (August 11-2017) 3.4 (Jack spinoff)
11-Rise of the Ancient (December 24-2017) 3.8 (Jack spinoff)
12-Secret Enemy (October 21-2018) n/a (Ancient One spinoff)
I recommend this game!
Solve the puzzle of the red mist and save a missing camper before they meet a terrifying end.
Overall rating
4
/
5
34 of 42 found this review helpful
I'VE GOTTA GIVE THEM KUDOS FOR THE PLOT TWIST
PostedOctober 20, 2018
pennmom36
fromFirst rule of Hunt Club is never talk about Fight Club, I mean Hunt Club!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I purchased the Collector's Edition version of Heartless and there were things I really liked about this game overall. Mariaglorium did a nice job with the plot, making you believe one thing, and then turning it around to something you didn't expect. I thought the game was the perfect length, not too long and drawn out, yet leaving you satisfied that you got your money's worth. I liked that you could return to a specific scene to pick up any collectible or heart you may have missed in the CE version, but I wish the Hearts were available within the Bonus Chapter as well because they were fantastically blended and very challenging to spot. The CE Bonus Chapter is a sequel that takes place immediately after the game, which is exactly what I like, I'm not a fan of BC's that go back in time. For me personally, I prefer the CE version over the SE, but here's a recap of my review to help you decide which version, if either, is right for you:
Grab your marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers and pop a squat on a nearby log in front of the campfire, it's time for another Bonfire Story. You survived "The Faceless Gravedigger," but can you survive "The Hunt?" This particular Bonfire Story has haunted you for years. Memories of that fateful night consume your waking thoughts and sleeping nightmares, and tonight you have returned to the scene of the crime in search for answers. As luck would have it, the Crimson Mist returns, and so has the Heartless. Let the hunt begin!
The graphics are really well done, with just the right amount of darkness, although I thought they could have chosen a different color for "The Mist" Pink mist takes away from the credibility of a true horror or sci-fi theme, I think a grey mist or even a green mist if it had to have a color contrast, would have been more believable, at least for me personally. The Collector's Edition version has 12 Character figurines to find but it's impossible to miss them because they are located within Zoom Zones that don't close until you click on the collectible. I will say though that they have done an excellent job of blending the 22 Hidden Hearts within each scene (CE version only) I found myself having to stare intently more than a few times before spotting some of them so nice job on that one Mariaglorum!
The graphics are really well done, with just the right amount of darkness, although I thought they could have chosen a different color for "The Mist" Pink mist takes away from the credibility of a true horror or sci-fi theme, I think a grey mist or even a green mist if it had to have a color contrast, would have been more believable, at least for me personally. The Collector's Edition version has 12 Character figurines to find but it's impossible to miss them because they are located within Zoom Zones that don't close until you click on the collectible. I will say though that they have done an excellent job of blending the 22 Hidden Hearts within each scene (CE version only) I found myself having to stare intently more than a few times before spotting some of them so nice job on that one Mariaglorum!
The Hidden Object Scenes are mostly Multiple items finds such as 12 Matches, 12 Arrow bolts, 12 Nuts etc. Some of the scenes are Progressive or include a small puzzle to solve, but for the most part, they lack creativity. I will admit that some of the items are well blended so I have to give them credit for that feature. The scenes are clear and fairly bright as well.
The Mini-Games were just okay for me personally. I found them to be rehashed games that weren't very challenging, in fact, they can easily be solved on the first attempt. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo portion to help you decide if this game is for you:
1-Press the buttons in the correct order.
2-Select the 4 related images on the flute.
3-Push in all buttons, clicking one may affect others.
4-Click to make the horse jump obstacles, 3 lives available (poor horse)
5-Slide the tokens along tracks to their matching slots.
6-Select triangle and/or square tokens & directional arrows to move a dial to the images shown above.
7-Click when the lines are inside the target circle.
8-Remove the bars in the correct order.
9-Place the various shaped boards to fill the grid entirely.
10-Use the arrows to guide the handle tip through the maze.
2-Select the 4 related images on the flute.
3-Push in all buttons, clicking one may affect others.
4-Click to make the horse jump obstacles, 3 lives available (poor horse)
5-Slide the tokens along tracks to their matching slots.
6-Select triangle and/or square tokens & directional arrows to move a dial to the images shown above.
7-Click when the lines are inside the target circle.
8-Remove the bars in the correct order.
9-Place the various shaped boards to fill the grid entirely.
10-Use the arrows to guide the handle tip through the maze.
The Collector's Edition version has 15 Wallpapers, 48 Concept Art pictures, 6 Movie Video Cutscenes, 8 Music Soundtracks, 9 Achievements to earn in 3 categories, 22 Hidden Hearts, 12 Character Figurines, 6 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter (sequel that occurs directly afterward) and a built-in Strategy Guide, enjoy the hunt!
BONFIRE STORIES SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-The Faceless Gravedigger (June 16-2017) 4.5
2-Heartless (October 19-2018) n/a
2-Heartless (October 19-2018) n/a
by: Mariaglorum
I recommend this game!
Researching the cause of a mysterious supernatural epidemic will have wildly unpredictable consequences...
Overall rating
5
/
5
204 of 241 found this review helpful
THIS AIN'T NO FIVE-BN THERE DONE THAT KINDA GAME!
PostedOctober 20, 2018
pennmom36
fromMalaria is a single-celled Parasite transmitted only by female Mosquitoes of certain Anopheles species, West Nile is a Virus transmitted by certain Culex species and can affect horses birds & humans.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
A deadly virus has gone air-borne during a reception hosted by Deborah Whitwick at the Historical Museum. The Museum's prized Ancient Artifact contained more than just centuries of dust and history, it contained a swarm of deadly Mosquitoes! Diana has been selected to return to the Artifacts origins to gather vital information that could help them discover an antidote, problem is, everyone's searching the wrong place! Could this be the end of civilization?
Game Series such as The Legacy is why this is my number one favorite developer. When I first started playing HOPA's, I didn't really pay much attention to the plot, but then again, back in the day, these games didn't really have much of a storyline. Nowadays, for me personally, it's all about the story because the games themselves have become so easy, so predictable, that you know when you pick up an item EXACTLY where it's going to be used and why. That's why Five-BN Games is my favorite developer.
Five-BN games are different. They aren't predictable, it's not all about back and forthing, finding this emblem to open that box, only to receive another emblem. They aren't stories about ancient evil Mist Monsters, they are usually apocalyptic themed games that are totally credible! They are very good about making a connection with the characters, and the characters are likable, the characters are believable. Most of all, they are really good at drawing you into their storylines hook line and sinker, and they usually have a cliffhanger ending!
Nobody has Hidden Objects Scenes as creative and fun as Five-BN Games! Most of them are Progressive, Interactive Silhouetted Shape finds where you are tasked with finding the objects that match the Silhouetted Shapes and then using those items back in the scene which will expose the next object and so forth. All of their HOP's have at least one Mini-Game to solve if not more which is what makes them so fun. There are also Interactive List finds, and they too are highly Interactive. The only disappointment I have is not being able to re-play them, but then again, it would be super easy the second time around.
The Mini-Games are exactly the kind I love where you have to put some thought into solving them. Some of them can be a little frustrating because just when you think you have it figured out, you realize you need to reset the game and start over, but they are really good games. Even the Hidden Object Scenes have at least one Mini-Game to solve, and extra Mini-Games and Puzzles are unlocked when you complete the Collections, Manuscripts and Morphing Collections, a unique feature only offered by Five-BN! Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1-Swap figurines to adjoin their hands.
2-Enter the sequence of turns to guide the bird to the end in a rotating maze.
3-Click the pair of symbols to recreate the center symbols.
4-Click the crystals to light them up, clicking 1 may affect others.
5-Slide square tiles to complete the image.
6-Repeat the sequence of images to activate & deactivate them.
7-Move tiles into matching slots, all tiles move in the same direction in unison.
8-Slide tiles along the path to their matching slots.
9-Rotate crystals to direct the beam of light through all crystals.
2-Enter the sequence of turns to guide the bird to the end in a rotating maze.
3-Click the pair of symbols to recreate the center symbols.
4-Click the crystals to light them up, clicking 1 may affect others.
5-Slide square tiles to complete the image.
6-Repeat the sequence of images to activate & deactivate them.
7-Move tiles into matching slots, all tiles move in the same direction in unison.
8-Slide tiles along the path to their matching slots.
9-Rotate crystals to direct the beam of light through all crystals.
This Collector's Edition version has 8 Wallpapers, 15 Concept Art pictures, 8 Music Cutscenes, 25 re-playable Mini-Games, 22 Achievements to earn, 7 Bonus Puzzles (when you complete the Figurine & Manuscripts Collections) Collectible Figurines (12 Wooden Hares, 8 Porcelain Elephants, 7 Metallic Butterflies, 8 Golden Snakes, 7 Wooden Horses) 11 Manuscript Pages (receive a new Bonus Puzzle in Extras) 30 Morphing Objects (receive a new Mini-Game in Extras) 5 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a built-in Strategy Guide. Enjoy the adventure and don't forget to use insect repellant!
THE LEGACY SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Forgotten Gates (March 11-2017) 4.1
2-Prisoner (December 5-2017) 4.2
3-The Tree of Might (October 20-2018)
2-Prisoner (December 5-2017) 4.2
3-The Tree of Might (October 20-2018)
I recommend this game!
Can you save your hometown from dangerous monsters in time?
Overall rating
4
/
5
115 of 142 found this review helpful
I'M REAL...I'M A REAL BOY -Pinocchio
PostedOctober 18, 2018
pennmom36
fromHalloween's origins come from a Celtic Festival called Samhain. They believed the dead roamed the Earth on this holiday so masks were worn to avoid being recognized by the spirits, & treats were left to appease restless spirits.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Halloween is quickly approaching, and so are the monsters who anxiously await All Hallows Eve! Riverstown, Virginia will never be the same once the Master has been released to walk amongst the living. All hope is not lost yet! You may have been sheltered from the dangerous truth for most of your childhood, sheltered from learning the true identity of your parents, but now that the truth has been revealed, it's time to follow in your family's footsteps. It's time to hunt down the Monsters Among Us!
Good news! The overabundance of Blurple colors has not been used in Domini's newest series Halloween Chronicles! The bad news is that Blurple has been swapped with Neon Green, but at least I didn't lose my diary/journal note to a random gust of wind! More good news, I'm not carrying around a large paper map because I have a phone! More bad news, there's no need for magic glasses, but there is a need for a magic camera, does everything have to center around magic items my little origami puppy?
In all seriousness, this is a really good Halloween themed game, and more of a G-rated light-hearted non-spooky game than last weeks similar themed Halloween game. Personally, I prefer the spooky, creepy genre, but I'm positive this game will receive rave reviews simply because it is less frightening.
This is a very long game, another feature Domini is famous for, but for me personally, it's a little too stretched out. I find the added filler tasks to become tedious because they don't add anything to the storyline. The tasks are just added to make the game longer but at the same time, it can become boring when you're just doing the same thing over and over. If this game were a little creepier, less neonish in color, and more condensed, it would be a 5-star game in my eyes.
The Hidden Object Scenes are mostly variations of Keywords in Sentence finds as Silhouetted Shape finds, Listed Item finds, Multiple Item finds, and Combination Silhouetted Shape finds (the product of 2 items combined) There are several Zoom Zone Hidden Object Scenes available that usually require finding 6 or more objects shown as Silhouetted Shapes. There is an alternate Match 3 game available and there is an achievement for playing a Match 3 game instead of the HOP.
The Mini-Games are fairly creative and although I still have the 4th Chapter to complete, I haven't come across a lot of my nemesis puzzles where "selecting one may affect others" which this dev is famous for at times, so I appreciate that immensely. In the Custom Mode Difficulty setting, you can opt to have the Mini-Games start out in an Easy or Hard difficulty mode, however, you can always select the opposite for each one, once they pop-up. I love this feature, I always start out in the Hard Mode, and if it's mind-boggling, I simply switch to the Easy mode (the hard mode usually involves my aforementioned nemesis style) Below are brief descriptions of some of the games (describing the easy mode instructions) that you'll encounter during the demo as well as shortly after:
1-Place gears in a watch correctly (w/in HOP)
2-Click partial images to replicate the spider as shown on the clue.
3-Rotate tokens to complete the path of blood flow.
4-Use directional arrows to repeat the eye movement x3.
5-Select the exact match for each highlighted token.
6-Swap symbols to match the symbols on trace paper.
7-Position the skeleton's limbs & head to match the position shown.
8-Memorize & select the Crossbow card to attack & the Shield card to defend.
9-Choose from 3 paths at the correct time to avoid the sirens.
10-Play poker with skeletons by completing the pattern x3.
11-Use directional arrows to rotate tokens to the correct slots.
12-Swap pyramid sections to stack correctly onto the middle post.
13-Rotate arrow to the correct numbers, the Triangle & Square adjust the # of spaces the arrow moves.
2-Click partial images to replicate the spider as shown on the clue.
3-Rotate tokens to complete the path of blood flow.
4-Use directional arrows to repeat the eye movement x3.
5-Select the exact match for each highlighted token.
6-Swap symbols to match the symbols on trace paper.
7-Position the skeleton's limbs & head to match the position shown.
8-Memorize & select the Crossbow card to attack & the Shield card to defend.
9-Choose from 3 paths at the correct time to avoid the sirens.
10-Play poker with skeletons by completing the pattern x3.
11-Use directional arrows to rotate tokens to the correct slots.
12-Swap pyramid sections to stack correctly onto the middle post.
13-Rotate arrow to the correct numbers, the Triangle & Square adjust the # of spaces the arrow moves.
This Collector's Edition version has 14 Wallpapers, 15 Concept Art pictures, 29 Movie Cutscene Videos, 5 Music Soundtracks, 22 re-playable Mini-Games, 18 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 33 Achievements to earn, 15 Collectible Monster Pictures,15 Collectible Newspaper Article Interviews, 71 Hidden Film Rolls to buy 15 Boudoir Items, (note: you can disable Icon Alerts for the collectibles in the Custom Settings) 4 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter (very long chapters, extremely long BC) Enjoy the Halloween Hunt!
I recommend this game!
Three lifelong friends are about to embark on an amazing hidden object adventure through Acapulco.
Overall rating
1
/
5
24 of 25 found this review helpful
THESE GALS SURE KNOW HOW TO HAVE FUN ON VACATION (I am being sarcastic btw)
PostedOctober 17, 2018
pennmom36
fromI've always wanted to go to Acapulco to search for an Anchor!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Vacation Adventures: Park Ranger
(85)Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
This is a strait-up Hidden Object game that is so easy that it becomes tedious. There are no difficulty settings, and you can only mute the music (you can adjust your sound on the computer just not within the game itself) The graphics are old-school, and it has the old-school click and drag feature known back in the day as Hdo's.
After dredging through a ton of dialog boxes as Emma, Alice and Susan all have to put in their two-cents worth, you visit a vacation destination scene to search for random items like elephant statues, tennis balls, cats, and yes, even fire. The style of HO's changes with each scene from Pictured items, Silhouetted Shapes and Listed item finds. The scenes are repeated, and the same objects are in every scene.
You are awarded points for each item found, but I didn't stick around long enough to see whether those points convert to cash to buy anything, but I suspect not because nothing was offered within the 30 minutes I did force myself to play.
I don't recommend this game.
Vacation Adventures: Park Ranger
Work as a Park Ranger in a beautiful National Park!
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
I ACTUALLY MISSED THIS FIRST VACATION ADVENTURE!
PostedOctober 17, 2018
pennmom36
fromAfter 8 years on the job the Park Ranger hasn't aged a day!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I was completely surprised when I discovered that I hadn't played the original Vacation Adventures Park Ranger game! One thing's for sure, nothing has really changed over the few years other than a few features being tweaked and perhaps the graphics have improved a tad bit, but none of that matters because this was and always will be a favorite HOG for me.
This is where it all began, your first day on the job as a Park Ranger at Pinecreek. You can choose between 2 characters, the beautiful blue-eyed woman or the ugly dude? You can play in a Casual or Normal mode of difficulty, the only difference being a faster hint and skip feature in the Casual mode. You earn points for each item found, for solving the mini-games after each HOS and for finding Lost & Found items and Recycling trash. My only complaint is that you have no way of telling whether you have found all of the recyclable items until the scorecard pops up after completing the scene.
You will earn an Eagle Eye achievement if you don't use the Hint feature, and you will earn a Bronze Star for completing the search, a Silver star if you find all lost & found items OR all recyclable items and a Gold star if you find all lost & found items AND all recyclable items. (the lost and found items are eventually replaced with wildlife in future VPA games) Words listed in purple require an interaction of some type, and words in red are hidden inside or behind things, requiring you to click on an item to open it or move it, which will reveal the hidden item. Levels can be replayed at any time to better your score or locate lost and find or recycle items you missed the first time.
My favorite feature in the Vacation Adventures games are the abundance of Mini Games available after each search & find scene, such as, Spot The Difference, Word Search, Match Two and several different styles of puzzles, rotating tiles and putting together maps and pictures with different shaped pieces.
VACATION ADVENTURES: PARK RANGER SERIES
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
VACATION ADVENTURES: PARK RANGER SERIES
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-VA Park Ranger 1 (July 23-2013) 3.8
2-VA Park Ranger 2 (March 31-2014) 3.9
3-VA Park Ranger 3 (March 24-2015) 4.5
4-VA Park Ranger 4 (March 30-2016) 4.5
5-VA Park Ranger 5 (November 15-2016) 4.7
6-VA Park Ranger 6 (May 31-2017) 4.6
7-VA Park Ranger 7 (March 21-2018) 4.5
8-VA Park Ranger 8 (September 24-2018) 4.5
2-VA Park Ranger 2 (March 31-2014) 3.9
3-VA Park Ranger 3 (March 24-2015) 4.5
4-VA Park Ranger 4 (March 30-2016) 4.5
5-VA Park Ranger 5 (November 15-2016) 4.7
6-VA Park Ranger 6 (May 31-2017) 4.6
7-VA Park Ranger 7 (March 21-2018) 4.5
8-VA Park Ranger 8 (September 24-2018) 4.5
by: Casual Arts Games
I recommend this game!
Patricia's Quest for Sun
Join Patricia on her quest to find Sun! Immerse yourself in this beautiful and exciting Puzzle Adventure game!
Overall rating
4
/
5
7 of 7 found this review helpful
BEAUTIFUL PUZZLE WITH A BEAUTIFUL ADVENTURE STORY
PostedOctober 16, 2018
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Patricia's planet doesn't have a sun and she yearns to know what it's like to feel it's warmth, and all the beauty and joy it brings to those fortunate enough to live near it. She embarks on a journey, a quest to find the sun.
Each puzzle takes you on Patricia's quest beginning on the ship that brings her closer to finding Sun, and step by step as she explores the planet basked in sunlight. The puzzles are square tiles that are swapped to create beautiful hand-drawn images of her journey, and you can choose between a Normal or Hard difficulty mode. There are 15 Trophies to earn as when you complete the game, Bonus puzzles are unlocked. You can even download pictures from your computer.
The four corners are fairly easy to spot because they have a diagonal line across the corners, and when a tile is placed correctly it has a green highlighted check mark and the puzzle piece can no longer be moved. The only tools available are a Magic Wand that places a single tile correctly, and there's a reset button as well.
As you correctly place a tile, Patricia's story is told a sentence at a time, and I must say it's quite an interesting story that you will probably continue to read about, which is very unusual for a puzzle. If you are a puzzle geek you will more than likely love this game, I just wish they had other types of puzzles rather than all being the square tile type.
I recommend this game!
Uncover images encoded in the fabric of logic in the latest Fantasy Mosaics!
Overall rating
5
/
5
26 of 29 found this review helpful
NOTHING NEW BUT I STILL LOVE THIS SERIES
PostedOctober 15, 2018
pennmom36
fromIt seems like only yesterday Penny was just an egg :)
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Patricia's Quest for Sun
(24)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Penny is going on her first date with Harry! Yes, I know many Mosaic fans are tired of this series after 31 games, but I'm still a fan of the Penguin family, and I'm still a fan of the series. I know they are always based upon logic, the pictures are always recognizable and labeled, the colors are always vibrant, and most of all, I know I'm always going to enjoy solving them. (not to mention that they are always released on Bonus Punch Mondays!)
Once again, you can select the tile style from 5 different tile sets, ranging in color vibrancy and styles. The Locked Colors have also returned requiring you to uncover keys that are hidden under cells that are filled in, each key found unlocks the next color. The Eye feature has returned as well, which allows you to hide the grid to get a look at the puzzle without all the lines, and they have added a reset icon too. You can play in a Casual mode which crosses off the tiles one by one, or Advanced mode which only crosses off tiles when the entire row or column has been filled in.
Fantasy Mosaics 1-4 only offered monochrome, single colored puzzles, in FM 16 additional colors were added to the standard six colors we see today, and really with the exception of adding the Stars for not using Hints, Locked colors, tile choices and an Eye feature that allows you to remove the grid-lines within the last few games, I will admit that they are a bit slow to give FM fans new options.
You can earn a Gold trophy if you make no mistakes, a Silver trophy if you make one mistake and a Bronze trophy if you make two mistakes. You will also earn up to three gold Stars if you don't use any hints, one star is deducted each time you use a hint. Therefore, it is possible to make a mistake or two but still earn 3 stars as long as you don't use any available hints. Unlike some mosaic games, FM is based upon logic and are solvable without using hints or power-ups, if you're patient.
Mosaic Griddlers may seem overwhelmingly complicated at first glance if you're new to this genre, but don't be intimidated. After a few levels, you'll get the hang of it (but I would suggest starting with an earlier version (#16 offers 6 colors and is a great place to start) There are groups of numbers located on each column and row of the grid, each group of numbers must be separated by at least one blank or crossed off cell. Sometimes it's easier to figure out where numbers can't possibly fit to reduce the number of cells and narrow the playing field down a bit.
Some cells contain bonuses such as extra hints, extra mistakes allowed or an extra pickax which allows you to choose which cell you want a hint on. There is a Sun icon as well that when fully charged, will give you a mega-hint, filling in or crossing off a 3x3 area of your choice.
I won't deny that I'd love to see Match Gems add a few new features once in a while, but obviously, they aren't having any issues selling these games if they've made it to 31 games in a series! Sometimes you just need to stick with what works, until it doesn't, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!
FANTASY MOSAICS SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Fantasy Mosaics (May 6-2014) 4.0
2-Fantasy Mosaics (May 27-2014) 4.1
3-Fantasy Mosaics (July 2-2014) 4.2
4-Fantasy Mosaics: Art Of Color (September 2-2014) 4.2
5-Fantasy Mosaics (December 1-2014) 4.1
6-Fantasy Mosaics: Into The Unknown (January 19-2015) 3.9
7-Fantasy Mosaics: Our Home (March 3-2015) 4.1
8-Fantasy Mosaics: New Adventure (April 21-2015) 3.7
9-Fantasy Mosaics: Portal In The Woods (July 8-2015) 4.0
10-Fantasy Mosaics: Time Travel (October 7-2015) 4.8
11-Fantasy Mosaics: Fleeing From Dinosaurs (October 7-2015) 4.0
12-Fantasy Mosaics: Parallel Universe (January 6-2016) 4.3
13-Fantasy Mosaics: Unexpected Visitor (February 16-2016) 4.5
14-Fantasy Mosaics: Fourth Color (March 29-2016) 4.6
15-Fantasy Mosaics: Ancient Land (May 17-2016) 4.3
16-Fantasy Mosaics: Six Colors (July 6-2016) 4.0
17-Fantasy Mosaics: New Palette (August 31-2016) 4.5
18-Fantasy Mosaics: Explore New Colors (December 5-2016) 4.1
19-Fantasy Mosaics: Edge Of The World (January 19-2017) 3.8
20-Fantasy Mosaics: Castle Of Puzzles (March 20-2017) 4.7
21-Fantasy Mosaics: On The Movie Set (May 8-2017) 4.6
22-Fantasy Mosaics: Summer Vacation (June 12-2017) 4.4
23-Fantasy Mosaics: Magic Forest (July 24-2017) 4.7
24- Fantasy Mosaics: Deserted Island (September 18-2017) 4.2
25-Fantasy Mosaics: Wedding Ceremony (November 13-2017) 3.8
26-Fantasy Mosaics: Fairytale Garden (January 22-2018) 4.0
27-Fantasy Mosaics: Secret Colors (March 5-2018) 3.6
28-Fantasy Mosaics: Treasure Map (April 23-2018) 4.5
29-Fantasy Mosaics: Alien Planet (June 11-2018) 3.7
30-Fantasy Mosaics: Camping Trip (August 13-2018) 3.9
31-Fantasy Mosaics: First Date (October 15-2018) n/a
2-Fantasy Mosaics (May 27-2014) 4.1
3-Fantasy Mosaics (July 2-2014) 4.2
4-Fantasy Mosaics: Art Of Color (September 2-2014) 4.2
5-Fantasy Mosaics (December 1-2014) 4.1
6-Fantasy Mosaics: Into The Unknown (January 19-2015) 3.9
7-Fantasy Mosaics: Our Home (March 3-2015) 4.1
8-Fantasy Mosaics: New Adventure (April 21-2015) 3.7
9-Fantasy Mosaics: Portal In The Woods (July 8-2015) 4.0
10-Fantasy Mosaics: Time Travel (October 7-2015) 4.8
11-Fantasy Mosaics: Fleeing From Dinosaurs (October 7-2015) 4.0
12-Fantasy Mosaics: Parallel Universe (January 6-2016) 4.3
13-Fantasy Mosaics: Unexpected Visitor (February 16-2016) 4.5
14-Fantasy Mosaics: Fourth Color (March 29-2016) 4.6
15-Fantasy Mosaics: Ancient Land (May 17-2016) 4.3
16-Fantasy Mosaics: Six Colors (July 6-2016) 4.0
17-Fantasy Mosaics: New Palette (August 31-2016) 4.5
18-Fantasy Mosaics: Explore New Colors (December 5-2016) 4.1
19-Fantasy Mosaics: Edge Of The World (January 19-2017) 3.8
20-Fantasy Mosaics: Castle Of Puzzles (March 20-2017) 4.7
21-Fantasy Mosaics: On The Movie Set (May 8-2017) 4.6
22-Fantasy Mosaics: Summer Vacation (June 12-2017) 4.4
23-Fantasy Mosaics: Magic Forest (July 24-2017) 4.7
24- Fantasy Mosaics: Deserted Island (September 18-2017) 4.2
25-Fantasy Mosaics: Wedding Ceremony (November 13-2017) 3.8
26-Fantasy Mosaics: Fairytale Garden (January 22-2018) 4.0
27-Fantasy Mosaics: Secret Colors (March 5-2018) 3.6
28-Fantasy Mosaics: Treasure Map (April 23-2018) 4.5
29-Fantasy Mosaics: Alien Planet (June 11-2018) 3.7
30-Fantasy Mosaics: Camping Trip (August 13-2018) 3.9
31-Fantasy Mosaics: First Date (October 15-2018) n/a
by: Match Gems
I recommend this game!